Since 1982 and at the headquarters of the Académia de Ciéncies Médiques de Catalunya i de Balears in the city of Mallorca, a record has been kept of cases of cancer of the colon and rectum among the population. This register is sponsored by Consell Insular de Mallorca and it covers the island of Mallorca. For the first time, several aspects are described and published of its first 28 months in operation, during which time 331 cases of colo-rectal cancer were collected. Information is given of its distribution as regards age and sex, of the time lapse between the appearance of symptoms and diagnosis its location, its extent, as well as its estimated incidence compared with that in other registers. Emphasis is placed on the quality of the information listed. The possibilities and future developments of this kind of register are discussed.

Desde enero de 1982 funciona, en el seno de la Academia de Ciéncies Médiques de Catalunya i de Balears en Ciutat de Mallorca, un registro poblacional de cáncer colorrectal. Este registro es patrocinado por el Consell Insular de Mallorca y su ámbito de actuación es la isla de Mallorca. Se publican, por primera vez, algunos aspectos descriptivos de los primeros 28 meses de funcionamiento que han permitido recoger 331 casos de cáncer colorrectal. Se indica la distribución por edades y sexo, el intervalo síntoma-diagnóstico, la localización, el grado de extensión, así como las tasas de incidencia, que se comparan con otros registros.Es de subrayar la calidad de la información registrada. Se discuten las posibilidades y perspectivas de este tipo de registros.